The
aftermath of any national election courts a curious mix of elation on
one hand and profound disappointment on the other. This most certainly
characterizes the upshot of “You Decide 2008.”

Empowered
by “yes, we can!” rhetoric, and infused with resolute hope
for change, Obama’s camp shares uncommon optimism for the New
Year and thereafter. No wonder. Upon clinching his party’s nomination,
Obama decreed a time “when the rise of the oceans began to slow,
and our planet began to heal.”

Truth
be told, Americans have much to celebrate. Transfer of power within
our uniquely designed system required no show of arms or violence. With
quiet dignity the presidential torch passed to a Harvard-degreed, African-American
man raised the son of a white, single mom. To his credit, Obama boasts
a stable, charming family. Accordingly, his ascent to the White House
is reminiscent of the JFK Camelot era.

In
having “prevailed against the system,” our President-elect
broke a long-standing glass ceiling. Thus, he rendered as moot the racially-propelled,
now outmoded “blame game” that for decades had served only
to fragment American society (World, 6 December 2008).

And,
then, there’s Michelle, whose great, great grandfather lived as
a slave. Her American family journeyed from egregious slavery through
shameful segregation and a raucous civil-rights movement. In the wake
of this historic presidential election, the Robinson family is destined
to upgrade from a slave cabin at the Friendfield Plantation in Georgetown,
SC to the White House in our nation’s capitol.

Even
a pro-life African-American Baptist pastor, Clenard Childress, who on
more than one occasion has spoken out against Obama, cannot discount
inspiration derived from the Obama story.

Wishin’
and Hopin’

Given
the media’s love affair with their candidate of choice, it’s
no mystery why the election went as it did. Pundits sought with success
to end what they characterized as “the small-minded Bush years”
during which time “thieves looted our governments and businesses”
(Mick Dumke, 6 November 2008). In contrast, the Obama campaign self-characterized
as “the change that we seek” by “the ones we’ve
been waiting for.”

For
his meteoric rise, Obama owes a huge debt to Hollywood whose big names
got out the vote—Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck,
Bruce Springsteen, Justin Timberlake and superstar George Clooney to
name but a few. Fans he has, and also fanfare. The Internet’s
awash with Obama praises, and television ads market election memorabilia
featuring “plush Obama dolls,” victory plates and Obama-inscribed
gold coins.

To
fans, friends and followers, Obama Claus appears as one laden with a
bulbous bag hoisted over his shoulder and stuffed with eye-popping goodies
for all the good little boys and girls eagerly awaiting their cut.

“I
Want” lists contain a new stimulus package over two years, tax
cuts and credits for businesses, expanded education, innovative renewable
energy options and a ten-year, $1.2 trillion health-care fix. None is
excluded from his bounty. Obama Claus promises illegal immigrants generous
federal funds for health care, education services and legal drivers’
licenses; and his worldwide handouts are incredibly extravagant—e.g.,
Obama-sponsored U.S. Millennium Development Goals at already over-burdened
taxpayer expense to cut in half extreme poverty by 2015. What a guy!

Hope
Deferred

No
doubt Obama’s stockpile of goodies is impressive, but the “bah-humbug”
crowd suggests we hold the “ho, ho, ho.” CBS News and various
independent experts calculate that—even if Obama closes every
loophole, saves every penny from Iraq, raises taxes on the wealthy and
trims the federal budget “line by line,” as promised—he
faces a budget shortfall of some $90 billion his first year alone.

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In
view of extreme remedies for the current worldwide financial holocaust,
economist Irwin Stelzer further predicts that the Obama administration
will be confronted with the most frenzied lobbying in American history.
Inevitably, this will be coupled with massive market inefficiencies
that political directives will introduce (Seattle Times, 30
November 2008).

To
rescue the failing global economy, Obama Claus and his yet-to-be-confirmed
elves can return it to market control (perceived to have failed), use
the crisis to “seize the commanding heights of the economy”
for the greater good (kinda’ like Marxism?)—or pull out
to the North Pole!

Speaking
of which, the administration’s pulling out from Iraq may placate
pacifists, but at the same time this popular strategy threatens surrendered
control of the land to Al Qaida, thus freeing the frenzied faithful
to redirect their venom to others they’ve purposed to eliminate.

Nor
does this flawed strategy appease an imminent threat of bioterrorism.
Chaired by former Senator Bob Graham (D—FL), a nine-member bipartisan
commission has concluded that “ground has been lost” in
preventing yet another travesty of 9/11 magnitude.

Dashed
Hope

In
the aftermath of the campaign marathon, those defeated have emerged
stressed and, in many ways, stunned and asking, “How is it that
over half of Americans voted for Obama?”

Perhaps
surprisingly, I contend that the religious community—consisting
of cosmic- (and even secular-) humanists, American Muslims, Latino Catholics
and evangelical Christians—was instrumental in tipping the scales
in Obama’s favor.

Previously
outspoken people of faith submissively took their punishment for what
has been lambasted as a failed administration. Feeling suspected, publically
maligned and disdained, segments of the religious right yielded to the
muzzle so as to remain undetected as “one of them.” In response
to what some describe as a crisis of hope that plagues today’s
church, others hopped the hope train engineered by the emerging religious
left.

For
good reason, hope for change resonates when over eighty percent of U.S.
congregations are either stagnant or dying. Evangelical “urbanologist”
Dr. Ray Bakke speaks specifically of the “spirit of hopelessness”
inside urban churches. Every month some 1,400 leave the ministry, and
every week 53,000 parishioners forsake the church, never again to return.

Raised
by American missionaries Francis and Edith Schaeffer (notable leaders
within the American evangelical subculture), Frank Schaeffer applauds
Obama’s victory for monumental political change, yes, but also
as a spiritual revolution. Frank now regrets having participated in
forming the religious right. It’s about time, he proclaims, for
“reasoned faith” to become fashionable once again.

Reasoned
Faith at What Cost?

This
time around, key issues that previously propelled the Christian right
into the political sphere took back seat to the economy and the War
on Terror.

Former
Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum published an analysis of Obama’s
pro-abortion record (March 2001). In Obama’s world, babies who
survive abortions (and any other pre-term newborns) should be permitted
to be killed. Why? Because giving them legal protection would have the
effect of banning all abortions, and we all know that powerful pro-abortion
activists wouldn’t take kindly to that (Focus on the Family Action,
October 2008).

Moreover,
in a time identified by Charles W. Colson and CBC’s Nigel M. de
S. Cameron as crucial for Christians to bring their influence to bear
on “human dignity in the biotech world,” Obama will relax
federal restrictions on financing embryonic stem-cell research. For
good reason, Colson compels us all to ponder profound moral issues and
implications that affect the future of the entire human race. The new
genetics involving embryo and stem-cell research, cloning, genetic engineering,
gene therapy, pharmacogenomics, cybernetics, nanotechnology and abortion
demand ethical and legal challenges.

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Of
critical concern to American families is encroachment of an ever-in-your-face
gay agenda. Clearly and explicitly, David Thorstad identifies the ultimate
goal of the gay liberation movement—that being, sexual freedom
for all, even young people and children. Even so, the new administration
opposes a Constitutional ban on gay marriage while, at the same time,
it supports civil unions.

To
“live and let live” is one thing; to indoctrinate school-aged
children in favor of a dicey lifestyle is yet another. A study by the
Family Research Institute revealed that the average male gay can expect
to live 42 years (as opposed to 74 years for heterosexuals), and lesbians
live an average of 45 years (as opposed to 79 years for heterosexual
women). At best, hope for these is “to beat the odds.”

Regarding
Obama’s ascension to the White House, movie director Spike Lee
adds that “everything’s going to be affected by this seismic
change in the universe.” In an age of skepticism and secularism,
it was truly amazing to witness the ecstatic, almost worshipful response
of the world community.

Given
the announcement of Obama’s victory, Obama City, Japan, joined
Paris, Berlin, London and Rome in dancing, shouting and shedding tears
of joy. The President-elect’s relatives in Kenya chanted, “We
are going to the White House!” and their government declared a
national holiday in Obama’s honor.

On
the home front, U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. (Dem-Ill) pontificated:
“The event itself is so extraordinary that another chapter could
be added to the Bible to chronicle its significance”; and Louis
Farrakhan (Nation of Islam) pronounced Obama “a savior to us all.”

Oprah
Winfrey describes this savior as “an evolved leader” having
“an ear for eloquence and a tongue dipped in unvarnished truth.”
At his best, Obama is “able to call us back to our highest selves”
(Ezra Klein). Steve Davis notes that he “communicates God-like
energy.”

In
Oprah’s words, “Hope won” when Mahatma Obama prevailed.
Or did it?

Faith,
Hope, Charity—These Three

No
doubt Obama’s election was a dramatic event—maybe even “bigger
than Kennedy,” as Chris Matthews believes; but “feeling
a thrill going up his leg” was a little over the top, I’d
say.

Hope
springs eternal in the human heart, true; but unless that hope is fixed
on what’s real, hope constitutes no more than a vapor destined
to dissipate. So, then, what is the basis of “real hope”?
Scriptures are clear that a Christian’s “lively hope”
comes by Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead, patience and
comfort of the Holy Scriptures (1 Peter 3:15; Hebrews 6:19; Romans 15:4).

There
is answer to the hope within Christian believers, and (sorry, Chris)
it has nothing to do with “leg thrills”—nor is it
resident in governmental policies or “evolved” world leaders.
While partisan politics sparks lively debate, the same will not and
cannot establish lasting hope in the human heart.

Perilous
times as these require hope against all hope, even in the face of terror,
want and cultural upheaval. The Patriarch Abraham learned that faith,
hope and love—these three—abide. And that we, too, can count
on! (1 Corinthians 13:13) Yes, we can!

As
America opens a new chapter in her history, may we, as Christians, anchor
our hope aright, pray fervently for those who have rule over us, render
to Caesar his due and, for the Lord’s sake, eschew slander and
respectfully submit to every rightful ordinance of man (James 5:16;
Matthew 22:21; Acts 23:5; 1 Peter 2:13).

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In
2009, we need not fear, for in Christ we are of good courage. He alone
empowers us to stand fast and vie for our people and for the cities
of our God (2 Samuel 10:12).

That,
my friend, is my New Year’s resolution. Let it be yours as well.

Daughter of an
Army Colonel, Debra graduated with distinction from the University of
Iowa. She then completed a Master of Education degree from the University
of Washington. These were followed by Bachelor of Theology and Master
of Ministries degrees-both from Pacific School of Theology.

While a teacher
in Kuwait, Debra undertook a three-month journey from the Persian Gulf
to London by means of VW "bug"! One summer, she tutored the daughter of
Kuwait's Head of Parliament while serving as superintendent of Kuwait's
first Vacation Bible School.

Having authored
the ABCs of Globalism and ABCs
of Cultural -Isms, Debra speaks to Christian and secular groups alike.
Her radio spots air globally. Presently, Debra co-hosts WOMANTalk
radio with Sharon Hughes and Friends, and she contributes monthly commentaries
to Changing Worldviews and NewsWithViews.com. Debra calls the Pacific
Northwest home.

For his meteoric
rise, Obama owes a huge debt to Hollywood whose big names got out the
vote—Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Bruce
Springsteen, Justin Timberlake and superstar George Clooney to name but
a few. Fans he has, and also fanfare.